A Never-Ending Nightmare
by rockyroad69
Summary: Alice finds herself in Yharnam. Written for WA Challenge.


**The Never-ending Nightmare**

 **Alice in Wonderland/Bloodborne Crossover**

 **For the WA Halloween Challenge**

It was the strangest dream.

From rabbit holes, to insufferable riddles, to a very odd trial, Alice knew that she'd never forget this one. She was confident that this was a better story than most books she read, though she wasn't willing to write it- others would probably call her a lunatic.

Yet, the story, crooked and winding as it was, seemed incomplete. The Red Queen had indeed called for her to begone from the world, but Alice felt that she never really heard the end of the judgement.

Not that she wanted to hear the end of it, of course. The Red Queen seemed awfully eager to chop off her head. She read enough of the French Revolution to know that being headless was not good.

As usual, the night was a silent affair. Her sister was asleep, but not Alice. She loved to watch the strange darkness of the night sky. And today, much to her joy, it was a full moon, framed by numerous stars dotting the black landscape. Alice found the lights oddly comforting; the moon and stars gave light to what her story books always described as a lightless sky.

And she hated it when it was completely dark.

Wonderland seemed to be slightly strange with that, however, with the myriad of colours it presented. Her eyes grew heavier as she smelled an odd metallic scent; much like coins that her father would give her from time to time. She thought nothing of it though, as she tucked herself into her bed, wondering if she'd end up in the rabbit hole again.

xXx

The first thing she noticed was that it was dark, and misty. Her senses were blurred, and all she could make out was an unusually sweet taste amidst the metallic scent of the air. It was... enticing.

Her vision started to clear and she found herself looking at rafters; not unlike rafters that she'd see in a barn. The place seemed very close and stuffy, and she could feel herself struggling to breathe. She tried to move her arms only to realize that she couldn't. The little girl gasped even more as she noticed that she was restrained, leather straps constricting her torso.

She didn't do anything wrong, did she? She read in her books that people were only tied up when they did something really, really bad. And when she tilted her head to her side, she saw an old man approaching her.

This old man was peculiar; not unlike the people she met at Wonderland, but not quite the same either. He was in a wheelchair, and he wore a top hat shadowing over what she could tell was a large blindfold. She saw a smile upon his chapped lips widen across his withered face.

His smile seemed friendly, but all it did was send a chill down Alice's spine.

"Well, you've come to the right place." The old man rolled his wheelchair over to her bed. "Yharnam is the home of blood ministration."

As one would expect, Alice was absolutely bewildered.

"Easy.. with a bit of Yharnam blood of your own..." the old man murmured, almost talking to himself. "But first, we need a contract. And it simply consists of a taste of the sweet blood."

Alice gulped. She never liked blood. She was known back home to cry when she was anywhere close to the red liquid. Her heart was pounding. She wanted to go home.

"Go on, little girl... taste it." The old man took out a little bottle and opened it.

Alice wriggled beneath the confines, but it proved fruitless. All she wanted was to go home; wonderland or somewhere. Away from where she was, trapped in a dark room with an old man with blood. The metallic scent started to grow stronger. It didn't feel like a dream anymore.

"Can I go home after this?" Alice said, her voice coming out as a whimper.

"Yes.. yes you can." The old man reassured, his voice softening. His grin never wavered however.

It was then, her heart pounding and her head sweating bullets, Alice silently nodded. Her fist clenched, she prepared to wince as she saw the bottle of crimson over her mouth, and trembled as the warm liquid touched her lips...

The taste of the blood was unlike anything she tasted; it was sweet, sweeter than the sweetest candy, and so very creamy like the richest milk. It was also strangely reinvigorating, and she felt as if she could wrestle the mean Knave of Hearts if she wanted to.

The blood was sweet, and she yearned for more.

Alice forgot her fear. She forgot everything she hated about blood. She licked her lips, savoured its taste, barely registering the old man in the background, who was silently letting out a cold, humourless laugh.

"Good," He said, twiddling his fingers. "All signed and sealed."

Alice barely noticed him, the taste of blood still lingering on her tongue.

"Now let's begin the transfusion."

Black. Red. And that was all Alice saw as she writhed in unimaginable pain. She was screaming, as she felt _something_ worm into her.

In the midst of it, she heard the man coo. "Oh don't you worry, whatever happens, you may think all a mere, bad dream."

And it was. It was a nightmare... and all Alice heard before she blacked out was the old man's laughter. At least, as she slowly lost her consciousness,. now she would wake up, forget about all of this... even laugh about it with her sister afterwards.

It was not to be.

Alice found herself looking at the very same rafters, and found herself in the very same dark room. Her nightie was stained with blood, but her restraints were removed.

Yet this time, she could not move.

The room grew darker. The air grew heavier. And then, Alice heard a growl. Another deep growl, and it was very close to her side. Summoning the courage to tilt her head, and she found herself struggling to breathe as she saw a pool of red, and a brown werewolf coming out of it.

She didn't know how she knew it was a werewolf; she just _knew_. Blood dripping from it, the werewolf crawled towards her. She heard every squishy footstep, as it approached her, its claw reaching out towards her.

And at that moment, Alice found that she couldn't move. She couldn't speak, nor scream, as she struggled with every ounce of her spirit. She couldn't even tremble, as she saw the beady reflective eyes of the wolf staring back at her.

All of a sudden, the wolf started burning. The smell of burning filled the air, and it sank into the crimson pool of blood.

Leaving a very confused, but rattled Alice. She let out a huge breath, and tried to contain the tears streaming down her cheeks.

Yet, she still could not move.

Then, she felt movement. This time, it was small, white, little-boy-like figures. They were naked and completely white, and their faces were shrivelled, much like a Halloween mask. Yet, they felt warm and comforting, much more in contrast to the wolf before, and the figures started embracing her, and she felt herself black out again.

xXx

Alice desperately wondered if she'd ever get out of the nightmare. Because when she woke up, she found herself in the same room again.

Only this time, she could move. Stepping off the bed, Alice started to notice a few things. Her surroundings were completely silent. Not even a whisper. Or the rustling of trees... or even the sound of animals.

The room she was in was barely lit. A few dim candles, but nothing more. There was a note of paper on a chair opposite of the table, which read

' _Seek Palebood to transcend the Hunt."_

Alice didn't care for that however. All she wanted to do now was to wake up.. wake up from this dream. Bursting through the door, Alice rushed down the corridor. In her panic, she did not notice the quiet snarls that emanated from the next room.

And in her horror, she found herself facing a beast not unlike the werewolf she saw earlier. And she found herself frozen as it leaped towards her. Alice found herself not being able to scream, as she saw a claw flash before her.

Yet, she managed to duck under the swipe and made for the door. Instinct was carrying the little girl at this point, all she wanted was to run away from that beast. Slamming the door behind her as she left the building, Alice made for the streets.

Her legs burned, but she ignored it. Alice ran and ran and ran, far into the black streets. There was barely any light, and all she had going for her were dim lamps, and a few lanterns strewn about on the stone floor.

She heard another growl, and stiffened as she ran. However, as Alice looked forward this time, she saw a group of men passing by and was relieved; she could call for their help.

"Help!" Alice called towards the men, who turned around.

What the girl didn't expect however, were the men approaching her as they would prey. And as they looked up she caught her breath in horror; their faces were little more than animalistic, with hair growing all over and fangs already protruding from their mouths.

Alice turned to run, but right then, her legs failed her. It was heavier than she could ever imagine. The tall buildings and giant streets seemed to close around her, leaving only the beast-like men and the night sky.

Their breaths were extremely heavy, and Alice could even smell their scent, as they edged closer; a strong stench of blood.

"If it wasn't for you... nothing like this would have happened."

They were edging closer now, and their hands started to show in the dim light, revealing the shape of large butcher knives and axes. All dripping with blood.

Alice found herself falling back, as she gulped.

"You plague-bringing rat."

"Cursed beast... another lost to the Blood."

She could only bite her lips tightly, as they were shadowing over her. She could make out yellowed eyes moving erratically, trying to focus on her.

Their weapons trembled in the powerful grip, as Alice dragged herself backward. And all she saw was a sadistic smile and a slight movement of the arm.

Pain was all she felt across her body then, as she felt something, _something_ tearing into her limbs, her stomach, everywhere. All she saw was crimson, and she remembered her fears. Everything was blurred, even the loud screams, and she found herself blacking out yet again.

xXx

Flowers. She could smell flowers. They weren't unlike the flowers on the riverbank she went to. It was bright, and it was soft where she was.

"SISTER!" Alice screamed for her sister in joy, as she shot up.

The little girl was crying; she hadn't forgotten the horrific nightmare she was put through earlier.

Only, instead of her sister embracing her, she only heard another unfamiliar voice.

"A child... given the responsibility to Hunt," he said, his voice so very mournful. "Are the Gods truly this cruel? It matters not. I will not let a child undergo the Hunt."

Alice felt her stomach turn, and when she turned and opened her eyes and looked up, she saw another old man on a wheelchair. Only, this man was different. He looked... sad. And he was extremely tall; even when seated, he was still plenty of inches higher than she was.

And unlike the beastmen, his eyes were dark, stable and kindly, She could see the lines in his face deepen as he clutched his cane tighter; he looked very, very old. The man looked toward her with a face full of sorrow, with his lips tightened deeply. She knew she could trust him. And had none of the frantic movements that she saw in the men's earlier. Her mother always told her to trust her instincts; and her instinct was that this old man was a good man.

Alice looked up to him, and said, "I-."

Suddenly, she found herself being embraced by the old man while he told. "You have nothing to fear here, child."

"Are you going to hurt me? Like those-"

"It was just a dream, child... just a bad dream," the old man said with a smile, though his eyes didn't quite move. "This sanctuary is where you wake up."

"But I don't want to stay here. I want to wake up," Alice asked, her voice coming out as a whimper. "Can I go home, please?"

He hesitated., but this time his voice was firm "I cannot promise that, child. What I can promise you however, is that you will always be safe here."

"Why?" Alice asked, her heart sinking.

"Because you do not deserve to go through the Hunt," He said, his eyes shadowed. "Yet, there may be a way... close your eyes, child."

Alice closed her eyes.

All she wanted to do was to wake up. Suddenly, she heard a loud, shrill sound, and as she opened her eyes, Alice could only gasp as she saw the old man holding a large scythe.

"Should the Gods take pity on you," she squeezed her eyes shut as he reared the blade back. She couldn't move. "May you find your home in the waking world."

And then he swung.

xXx

The sound of birds. The sound of the nearby river... The sound of trees. The contrast from the absolute silence, and most of all, the scent of water.

The nightmare was over.

"Alice... ALICE!" A shout from across her bed.

Alice drowsily awoke, and felt a familiar, strange sweet taste in her mouth that she could not quite remember about - yet it so annoyingly played upon her mind.

"Oh God, Alice! Wake up!"

Alice was still extremely drowsy. "Urrrhhh, what is it, Sister?"

"Come on, wake up," she said. "Don't we have a Halloween party to prepare for? Did you have one of those dreams again?"

"I think so."

No one really knew why Alice was so averse to the sight of wine that party. Or any sort of red liquid for that matter.

xXx

 **Meh. Could be better. But eh. :p**


End file.
